Republican activists gathered in Claremore Saturday at the fairgrounds to hear candidates for the District 2 congressional race. The runoff election is Aug. 28.

State Auditor and Inspector Gary Jones spoke about building the Republican party in rural Oklahoma and finding Republican candidates to run in those areas that will appeal to conservative Democrats. Jones was the Republican chairman for Comanche County in southwestern Oklahoma and later the state Republican chairman. According to Jones, the second district had the second highest percentage of votes for John McCain in 2008, finishing just behind District 3, which covers western Oklahoma.

Rep. George Faught was the first candidate to take the podium. Saturday was his 50th birthday and the 28th birthday of one of his sons.

Faught’s middle son, who is 22, has according to Faught, voted more times than his opponent Markwayne Mullin. Faught said he had hoped ObamaCare would be struck down by the courts and called the high court’s decision to keep ObamaCare “a rude awakening.”

Faught stressed experience as a necessity to fight ObamaCare in Congress next year. Faught said he has already fought as a legislator from Muskogee against ObamaCare concerning the health care exchanges between the federal government and the state of Oklahoma.

No health care exchanges were agreed to by the legislature last session. Faught said he has stopped new regulations at the state capitol by insisting those regulations be backed by legislative authority. Faught argued that he was not a career politician, He has been in elected office for six years. Faught said he can be elected to Congress from the second district because he’s already been elected and re-elected from a state house district that is seventy percent Democrat. “The right decision is not always Republican or Democrat. Good government doesn’t have a label after it.” Faught warned that this election is too important to send someone who has no proven track record.

“I’m not a question mark. I’ve got a proven record in business, I’ve got a proven record in the legislative session, I’ve got a proven record as a conservative.” Faught said former rival Wayne Pettigrew had just endorsed his candidacy. He also has the endorsement of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.  

Markwayne Mullin began by introducing his son, Andrew, saying Andrew’s seventh birthday was the next day. The audience sang happy birthday. Then the lights went out for about 10 seconds. No explanation was given.

Mullin said getting the highest number of votes in the primary election was the most humbling experience of his life, after his wife agreeing to marry him and the birth of his children. Mullin said he connects with people because he “talks their talk” and he is running for congress because he “got fed up.” Mullin made an impassioned plea about government regulations and that the federal government is, “...throwing the Constitution completely out! We know best!”

Mullin countered Faught’s argument that he lacked experience by saying he has experienced federal regulation in his business first hand and he has passion about these issues because he must deal with regulatory agencies on a daily basis.

Mullin said ObamaCare will cost his company a quarter million dollars because he will have to pay a minimum of $2,000 for each employee. Mullin said his plumbing company has over 120 employees.

“Guys it makes me sick to my stomach and I know you guys are fed up the same way I am, and it is time we stand up and do something about it. We can no longer sit back and expect to elect the same type of people because they’ve got a background in something. We’ve got to stand up.” Mullin said he doesn’t mind opposing his own party. The Patriot Act for national security and No Child Left Behind for education are two examples  where he believes Republicans were in error. He argued against what he called “the flavor of the month” in legislation. Mullin said laws must “line up with the Constitution.”

Mullin closed by saying that the decisions made today are going to affect his children tomorrow.

One of those attending the forum was Jo Ellen Williams, Pryor, and her husband Charley, who is vice chairman of the Mayes County Republican party.

Both support Mullin. Jo Ellen Williams said Mullin came to an event in Pryor in February and was willing to answer all her questions. Charley Williams was a supporter of George Faught, “until Faught went negative.”

Charley Williams dismissed some of Mullins recent comments, including his admission during a Tulsa radio interview that he has not followed the health care exchange debate at the state capitol.  

Former candidate Dwayne Thompson gave the invocation. Thompson has endorsed Mullin for the runoff. Former candidates Dakota Wood and Dustin Rowe have not endorsed either runoff candidate.

The Democrats will have a runoff between Wayne Herriman and Rob Wallace on Aug. 28. Rep. Dan Boren announced late last year that he would not seek a fifth term to Congress.